Extrusion is the pressurized processing of molten material through a die to form the material into a specific shape. Extrusion dies can range from the very simple designs such as a hole through a piece of metal to complex assemblies involving multiple components including deflectors which help to form the plastic into the desired shape. The process of assembling or disassembling complex dies can often be time consuming for an extrusion line operator. There are a number of reasons why disassembly and reassembly of a die may occur including maintenance, cleaning or a tooling change. The time required for assembly and disassembly can have an effect on the up time of an extrusion line and therefore productivity. As such, die assemblies should be manufactured in a way to minimize the amount of down time.
Assembly and disassembly often involves the use of large diameter threaded components and/or bolts to fasten components together. While these are effective methods of fastening, they are also relatively time consuming as each threaded component or bolt requires multiple turns to fasten or remove which can often be a struggle if material in the die is acting as to adhere components to each other.